Cooper has definitely brought out the more “adventurous” side in us all. We had never even considered a camping trip before Cooper had sprung into our lives. And given everything that has happened with the lockdown and travel restrictions this year, we thought, why not? If there was ever a time to try out camping, this was definitely it.
We were unsure how Cooper would take to the tent initially, so we tried this out in our back garden first. We then decided to make the jump… and book a two night stay on a fairly local campsite – baring in mind, if there was a worst case scenario of the entire camping trip turning into a total disaster – we could return home fairly easily and quickly.
We opted with going to Llangorse Lake – where we stayed on the ‘Lakeside Campsite’. This was just a short drive away from us and the site is located directly in the heart of the Brecon Beacons. The postcode for the site is LD3 7TR. This takes you directly to Llangorse Lakes itself. Once you get on site, the different campsites are all clearly signposted. We opted to stay in Elwyns Meadow Camping Field. This was a camping only site, but you could park your car on your pitch which was helpful and convenient. There were toilet and shower facilities nearby as well. Needless to say, the site was dog friendly – pending all dogs were kept under control and on lead. There were also other facilities on site, including electric pitches for campervans and actual caravans to hire.
We visited in the early days post-lockdown and so the whole situation was a little strange still, with social distancing measures still in place, with restrictions on eating indoors and certain aspects of the site still closed down. But we did manage to grab a picnic table outside the Lakeside Cafe whom were open to serve hot and cold drinks, as well as hot meals or a smaller bite to eat. They also served the dog friendly Utterly Mutterly ice cream, which went down a treat with Cooper! There is also a shop directly next door to the cafe, which allowed us to re-stock on doggy bags and also purchase a guide on the best walks around the local area.
Llangorse Lake itself is the largest natural lake in Wales. You can hire boats, kayaks and pedalloes to take out onto the lake. You can also take dogs out onto the row boats too – however this is at your own discretion! Cooper enjoyed his boat ride, but be warned – the Lake is swarming with ducks, swans and other aquatic life that Cooper was just itching to chase! We made sure he was all geared up in his Hurtta lifejacket beforehand – pre-empting that it would only be a matter of time before Cooper took to the water! We also kept him on lead at all times – just incase he decided to swim out further than expected.
There are so many walks you can take around the Llangorse area too. Given our short stay and the fact that Cooper is still growing – we opted to do the most local, and less strenuous walk “around the Lake”. This starts directly on the main area of Llangorse Lakes itself – just over the common – and this route takes you through endless fields of beautiful meadows, with plenty of wild flowers, majestic horses, and a huge farmhouse overlooking the landscapes. There are ample of other walking routes that you could take though, and these were just a short drive away. Some of the most popular ones are the “Three Peaks” and “Up and Over the Allt”.
It’s fair to say that we survived our first ever camping trip to tell the tale. And that this camping trip was a total success! Taking into account that Cooper has just turned one, and this was his first camping trip – he was an absolute angel and we cannot believe how well behaved he was throughout, even sleeping through both nights whilst in the tent.
A successful camping trip most definitely means that there will be more to come next summer. But for now, Happy Camping everybody – Make sure to make the most of this August sunshine!
Say Hello To Cooper... 